Monday's letters to the editor

In this cartoon by Roger Harvell, now-dead Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez gets a taste of the afterlife and sees Satan. 'You're not George Bush ...,' he tells the devil. (Gannett, Roger Harvell/ The Greenville (S.C.) News )

Leave world alone

Your March 8 editorial on the passing of Hugo Chavez and the generally non-interventionist course followed by the United States while he was in power was thoughtful and on the mark.

This is not an ideological matter: One influential American on the right, who has propounded similar views, is Pat Buchanan; on the left is former House member Dennis Kucinich.

George W. Bush was the quintessential champion of meddling with other countries' internal affairs, often by force, in the cause of cramming democracy down everyone's throat whether it fits local circumstances or not.

The three broad approaches to dealing with dictators are (a) decisive intervention by force or sanction, (b) half-hearted use of force or sanction and (c) non-intervention.

The middle ground (b) is dangerous, and perhaps more so than the others. If we are going to impose sanctions they had better be effective because the middle ground risks an attack by some ambitious looney little would-be Adolf.

Colin Powell had it right. Avoid force when possible, as it was with Hugo Chavez, or go in if we must and clean house, which we haven't done since World War II. President Kennedy, who is justifiably honored by Americans, had it wrong in the case of Cuba; he took the middle route, and we wound up with a hostile Castro firmly ensconced in power.

Richard W. Metz, Sanibel

Lives wasted

How many more U.S. soldiers must die for a mistake? During the Vietnam War, 47,000 died; in Korea, the forgotten war, 33,000; in Iraq 3,500; and in Afghanistan, 1,400 (another forgotten war).

These soldiers died in vain, they didn't die defending anyone's freedoms; they didn't die protecting the United States; they didn't die to keep America safe from terrorists or to avenge 9/11. These soldiers were sincere, patriotic and altruistic; they fought bravely, heroically and passionately.

They may have died sacrificially, willingly and eager, but they died for our imperial presidency (Johnson, Bush, Obama.) The foreign policy of the United States "empire" (our military industrial complex selling arms to foreign countries for profit) is belligerent and reckless.

War is not just a simple mistake; there is intent to continue it and a campaign of lying to sustain it. It is not honorable for a United States soldier to die fighting some unnecessary, senseless, shameful war for a lie and in vain.

Real patriots don't want to see any more United States soldiers die. How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake? I believe the American people are solidly against war.

Norman C. Anders, Lehigh Acres

"No" voting shameful

Rep. Troy Radel earned another "attaboy" on Feb. 28 for voting against the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013, which was sent to the president after passage. His constituents can be very proud of the "no" voting record he has compiled as their first-term representative.

Robert Markey, Fort Myers

Apology for ill voting

As a Minnesotan who winters in Florida for three months I must apologize for Rep. Michelle Bachmann's vote against the Violence Against Women Act. Michelle Bachmann might feel violence against women is acceptable but that is not the view of this Minnesotan.

And, again, I apologize for her supporting the view that violence against women is acceptable.

Dr. Donald Sonsalla, Fort Myers Beach

Awful drivers

You recently reported on the driving deaths in Lee County. I am a snowbird from semi-rural Illinois and experience a cultural shock from the driving habits in Southwest Florida, which I believe contribute to driving deaths.

Here are some issues that I observe from too many drivers: not using turn signals, driving through red lights, driving 10 mph or more over the speed limit, changing lanes in congested traffic for no good reason, switching two lanes to the left without looking and coming into traffic from the right allowing little or no room for oncoming traffic to accommodate the inserted vesicle.

The bottom line is that there are a lot of irresponsible drivers in Southwest Florida. In rural Illinois, reckless driving would be considered bad manners and would affect your social standing in the community. In Fort Myers, this is not the case because the community is too large to have a sense of community. So the irresponsible say, "who cares?"

To deal with driving in Florida leave a lot of space to the next car, slow down, observe driving laws and be wary of whatever crazy thing drivers may do at any time for no good reason. And avoid punk macho trucks and cars.

Michael Ward, North Fort Myers

Sign of the Apocalypse

The news tells us that North Korea is threatening the United States with a nuclear attack. Not to worry. Apparently former NBA player Dennis Rodman is now our acting foreign diplomat. He was recently seen having drinks with the head honcho in North Korea so we can probably all breathe easy. Maybe Rodman's ex-girlfriend Madonna could offer her advice. What a country.

John McWilliams, Fort Myers

Health care a commodity

Just heard that Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez died after many treatments for cancer performed in Cuba. Cuba has socialized medicine.

The country with the highest cancer survival rate and best health care is the United States. The United States is home to free market medicine (or it used to be until Obamacare kicks in).

Let me say this: good medicine isn't cheap and cheap medicine isn't good. Health care is neither a right nor a privilege; it is a free market commodity.

Anthony Wojtecki, North Fort Myers

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Monday's letters to the editor

Your March 8 editorial on the passing of Hugo Chavez and the generally non-interventionist course followed by the United States while he was in power was thoughtful and on the mark.